Eid Mubarak!

Today is the third and final day of the Ramadan holiday (Şeker Bayramı in Turkish, and Eid al-Fitr in Arabic), for Muslims across the world. This year I was in Berlin for the entirety of Ramadan and observed as many of our youth devotedly fasted for their holy month.  Together as a community, we also celebrated Iftar (the evening meal that signifies the breaking of the fast each day) on one Friday evening. With children running around attempting to fill out worksheets on fasting traditions in Islam and Christianity, with the reading of a Koran Sura, and with the performance of traditional music as well as fire-juggling by our youth, the evening was a microcosmic reminder of the potential of interreligious dialogue, intercultural understanding and peaceful exchange between and among people of differing faith traditions.

I have long been an advocate of such exchange, but this small event was an important reminder of the peaceful and loving exchange possible, which I find particularly and personally important in a year in which hate, dispute and violent acts have continued to plague my Muslim brothers and sisters around the world – particularly during the holy month of Ramadan.

During Ramadan, more than seven Islamic Centers in the U.S. were targeted and attacked. In the same month, Congressman Joe Walsh stated that “there are people in this country, there is a radical strain of Islam in this country – it’s not just over there – trying to kill Americans every week.” Sadly, such statements, such attacks have not been isolated to the United States.

Strategically planned on the final day of fasting, a group called ‘Pro-Deutschland’ (Pro-Germany), a group comprised largely of neo-Nazis and fascists, arrived in Berlin on Saturday to protest three mosques here in the city. Outnumbered by the counter protests at all three protest sights, the small Pro-Deutschland group waved their German flags, held anti-mosque signs and presented caricatures of Mohammed (which is strictly forbidden among Muslims). The counter-protest group, comprised of an interesting mix of punks, hippies, social liberals and Muslim men, women and children, shouted, whistled and cheered to block out the amplified sound of the Pro-Deutschland group; a group of Muslim men peacefully held their Korans in the air and chanted together. Although the majority were fasting for the final day of Ramadan, they stood in solidarity in protection of their mosque, their religion and their identity. Although it was 80 or 90 degrees Fahrenheit, men from the mosques distributed water to the protestors. Through peaceful protest, this colorful group of counter protesters reinforce the importance of standing together in solidarity and the truth that there is strength in numbers.

Youth attaining to fast like their parents.  Children energetically learning about fasting in two differing faith traditions. A communal and interreligious Iftar. Solidarity in protesting those fighting against Islam.

This – not hateful attacks, words and actions – is what Ramadan is about.

Yesterday, we distributed chocolate, Turkish delight, popsicles and candy to the neighborhood children and youth at the Kindertreff to celebrate the end of Ramadan with them. Today, we will build small gingerbread house-like mosques. In a church.

We are all humans; all people with the freedom of religion and that religious practice. Together, Christians and Muslims believe and trust in one God. Together, we must celebrate. Together, we must stand in solidarity at times of attack. Together, we will work to dispel the hatred, the violence. Together, we must stand strong. In love. And in peace.

Bee Stings

“After you get stung, you can't get unstung, no matter how much you whine about it.”
― Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees

Until the end of June I had never been stung by a bee. I had not been in an acquaintance’s garden more than 5 minutes on that overcast Sunday afternoon before I felt the sting on the side of my foot. I quickly learned the truth about bee stings – that they hurt a lot. As a friend removed the stinger, chives were gathered to put on the sting and I sat a few minutes in the garden, made helpless by a mere bee sting.  However, the herbal remedy worked its magic, and soon, I was back on my feet for an afternoon of picking and gathering fruit in the garden. I forgot about the sting completely until I got out of bed the following morning. The soreness in my foot was, however, bearable and within a few days, the soreness and the swelling were gone.

This story came to mind, after being – once again – stung by a bee yesterday afternoon. This time sitting by a lake on the outskirts of Berlin, I got stung under my arm. Chives were not readily available this time around, but, having just gotten to the lake, I remained there even as my arm began to swell. Today, the sting remains pretty visible – swollen, sore, and red.

I haven’t posted to my blog in months, as I have been working to recover from the symptoms of another kind of ‘sting.’ Know that my silence is not intentional. I have simply not felt inspired to write and would rather post quality than simply post to fulfill writing a post.

My symptoms have not only extended to my blog writing. I have also felt myself distanced from my Berlin church congregation, frustrated with the institutional church. Angry and short-tempered when working within these confines. More emotional and emotionally unpredictable than what I would consider my  ‘normal.’

I have felt largely uninspired as I work through the symptoms of swollenness, soreness, and redness that have followed the emotional and spiritual sting of being at General Conference at the end of April. Never had I expected this ‘sting’ itself to penetrate so deeply into my being, nor had I awaited the aftermath of ‘symptoms’ that I am experiencing.

Whining will not change what has happened, and therefore it is not my aim to use this as a platform to whine. I did, however, want to answer your likely question, “Why the silence? Why has Michelle not posted recently?” And I am working to re-gather the strength, courage, and persistance that I will need to remain spiritually whole and to work towards justice within the United Methodist Church for the coming four years.

Know, however, that my next inspiration will come your way in the form of a blog post.

And until then, I will try to avoid being stung by any bees!